I have the front loader washer machines with the drawers beneath them. My father came up with a wonderful idea. He took an old computer chair with rollers we had in the garage and he took off the back. My laundry basket can sit on this and I can push it with my hand - very light weight - when transferring or putting stuff in the washer or dryer.
We even thought that you could easily make a square box out of lumber and put rollers on the bottom to set the baskets on as well.
Dad made a shelf which 4 different laundry baskets (whites, darks, towels, and delicates) sit on about the same height of the rolling chair so they can easily be slid back and forth on them. When my family brings down the dirty laundry they can throw them in the correct basket.
HI,
I would use my cell to contact family members on other levels of the house, we have the family share plan so it's no charge calls if it's member to member. It was very hard to shout so this did help the first two - four weeks after surgery.
Good Luck
God Bless
Carol
__________________
"Thru every dark corner is a door to a new light"
(Dana Reeve)
Last edited by mamakitkat; 03-15-2007 at 06:03 PM.
Very helpful thread! I can share a few of my tips for those of us with wheelchairs. I sweep and mop from my chair. Just throw your brakes on and go for it. Unbrake, move, mop, etc. Also, I take a bungee cord to my laundry basket and the other end to my chair dragging it along the way.
Loading silverware into the dishwasher - instead of struggling repeatedly to bend and put each piece of silverware in, just reach once to get the silverware basket, set it in the sink, load the silverware into it, and put it back in the dishwasher once your silverware is loaded.
Some great suggestions everyone! Standing over the sink to do dishes is a killer for me. I open the cabinet door below the sink and use the lowest shelf to alternately prop one foot, relieving much pressure.
For laundry, try the collapsible fabric laundry basket. It's especially great for carrying up and down stairs, as you can carry it at your side intead of in front, with the added bonus of being easier to store when not in use.
For the person who used a rope to open lower drawers, try adding a little more length to the rope and tying the other end to the top drawer knob. You won't need your grabbers to retrieve it from the floor, and no chance of tripping on it.
The Following User Says Thank You to AuntNanc For This Useful Post: Grammie76 (07-01-2012)
For laundry, try the collapsible fabric laundry basket. It's especially great for carrying up and down stairs, as you can carry it at your side intead of in front, with the added bonus of being easier to store when not in use.
I'm sure it's not very elegant looking, but instead of carrying a laundry basket downstairs, I throw the load down the stairs. Not when company is present or looking of course. This works fine for me. The problem is that I can't use the same method to get the clothes back upstairs. I do carry them a few at a time, however.
Interesting topic. Post fusion I thought I would get better rapidly. Sadly learned that my feet are paralyzed and I am proabably disabled for life. So stepping out of denial has led me to these preps for such a life. I no longer care if my coffee table is cluttered. I no longer take baths, just showers and I clean the shower while I'm in it. I use two canes around the house. I use a backpack instead of a good-looking purse. I use a swivel wheel buggy to cart everything back and forth to my car. The buggy aids my walking as well as my carrying. I buy cut flowers every week because they make me feel better. I, too, use everything swiffer! I buy the pre-measured dishwasher detergent so I don't have to lift the bottle. I use low-energy flat wall night lights around the apartment. Not bright, but welcoming. I added phone extensions (3) to my small apartment. No running for the phone. (Running! That's a laugh). I use a two-tray trolley cart to push things around on. I make sure I talk with my granddaughters EVERY DAY! I indulge in pedicures and reflexology regularly. I still go to work and I have learned to ask my friends for help and to say yes when they offer. And I remember that things could always be worse!
The following user gives a hug of support to kleeko: Cymrudenver (08-27-2011)
The Following User Says Thank You to kleeko For This Useful Post: agwhitten (10-26-2012)
I'm sure it's not very elegant looking, but instead of carrying a laundry basket downstairs, I throw the load down the stairs. Not when company is present or looking of course. This works fine for me. The problem is that I can't use the same method to get the clothes back upstairs. I do carry them a few at a time, however.
I ran some twine from the top of my stairs to the bottom. Fold your clean clothes and put them in a mesh hamper tied to the string at the bottom. When you get to the top you can pull the clothes up using the string. If it s too heavy for you then put a few less clothes in.
For the laundry (I have a two story home with washer in the basement), the stairs can be bad enough so I use the nylon laundry bags with draw string at the top , kick it from one floor to the next and drag it bag up with the clean stuff.
Supper is usually self serve off the stove, found pans to be a lot lighter when they are empty
As far as the sweeping goes I've switched to those dust pans with the long handle so I no longer have to bend and as for sweeping and mopping, my PT taught me to bend at the knees and not put my back into it which helps a lot and my mop bucket has wheels and one of those things that wring the water from the mop head. Again, when I wring the mop out I bend at the knees. I still haven't mastered cleaning the tub yet.
BlueAtlas, you are right about buying big and going small. I'm used to buying big bottles of fabric softeners and pre treaters for my clothes so I've poured them into smaller bottles and spray bottles that I can handle and keep them on the washer so they are always within reach. When it's time to refill them my husband does the honors for me.
Can anyone recommend the best grabber and tell me where to get one?
Oh I should get endorsed for my advertising of the 'grabber'. I recommend it even to people who don't have any health problems (just makes life simplier) I have had two in the last 7 years post fusion. It really doesn't matter the brand type. There are different prices but the normal price is around $9.95, anything higher is not worth it. They have them at Wal-mart, drug stores, even on line in many catalogs. Mine were both different types and brands and both were equally helpful. I couldn't do without mine. I use it to sort clothes out of the hampers and into bushels and then I actually load from my bushel to the washer with mine. The bending was a no win situation for me so they really are helpful. I use mine alot to pick things up around my house....pennies if on the floor, lint, candy wrappers etc., I have a family of 5 so you can imagine how much happens to be left on the carpets that no one seems to notice but Mom. I really think the 'grabber' is worth their weight in gold hope you invest in one real soon... take-care and happy reaching....
Can anyone recommend the best grabber and tell me where to get one?
I tried The Gopher and found it disappointing. It wasn't nearly as strong or sturdy as the one I found at my local CVS. Mine is called the Multi-Pik and is by InvaCare. They had another one that was good, too, called the Golden Retriever, but I think the Multi-Pik is stronger. You can find good ones at a durable medical supply store, many pharmacies, and one person found hers in the yard tools section of the home-improvement store.
Another little tip that I put on the thread about tall people at short sinks and was told it was helpful: this is so simple that we don't even realize to do it, but if you stand with your feet about 3 feet or more apart, you'll lower your whole body and be able to reach things just a little lower without bending at all. My GP showed this to me years ago and I was amazed what a difference it made. I do this while washing dishes and while brushing my teeth. I'm also using Louis' tip all the time now about using one leg to swing out to balance as you lean over without bending your torso at all. By the way, Louis, yes, Blue Atlas as in Blue Atlas Spruce, my husband's favorite tree: tall and spindly with things poking out at weird angles. That's my spine!
Thanks for the great tips, folks! These have helped me so much!
Can anyone recommend the best grabber and tell me where to get one?
I love the grabber 4109 by Sammons Preston Rolyan 1-800-323-5547 because:
It's convenient and has a magnet at the end which I find helpful. Perhaps they all have magnets and I'm not aware of them. The magnet helps me if I drop tiny pins or other metal objects. God bless you on your recovery!
The Following User Says Thank You to tbeach For This Useful Post: Grammie76 (07-01-2012)
I want to thank you all for your recommendations, I really love this board! I suggested it to a friend of mine who is post op and I hope I see her here. You guys are a big help! Again, thanks!!!
I just washed my sheets and realized another tip that I do without even thinking now. When I tuck the sheets in, I turn around backwards. It's much easier to tuck under a heavy mattress when you turn backwards, bend at the knees and keep your back straight, and tuck with a hand at each of your sides. If you're standing right at the mattress, you won't even have to reach back at all.
Making a good hospital corner is hard to get used to, but even if you just do the rest and tuck frontwards only for the corners, it'll be easier on your back.
All good ideas! Here's my two cents:
- I use Oberweiss Dairy (don't know if they're everywhere) to deliver milk and all dairy products (plus more) right to my door - very easy, and my kids drink a lot of milk, so I'm glad not to have to carry all the gallon jugs home from the store. Also, I like the 1/2 gal glass bottles that the milk comes in - nice and light.
- Put your washer and dryer up on blocks, or you can buy something to have them sit on for many brands. Then you don't have to bend over to put stuff in and take it out.
Hope this helps -
Hello all! I have not had time yet to read through all of these, but I found a great one over the weekend that made cleaning the bathroom sooo much easier! The Mr. Clean magic reach. It comes with a pole attached to the cleaning end so you can stand up while cleaning the bathtub and surrounding tile. No bending or reaching needed! And it cleans well too. It was also great for getting behind the toilet without having to crawl on my hands and knees. I was still in pain when I was done, but not as much as before! Also, I bought one of those electric hard floor cleaners. It is a dry vac on one side and it flips over to a wet cleaner on the other. It was about $70, but well worth it. It weights about 10 lbs and is much easier on my back than sweeping and mopping. Does a great job too!
"When I go grocery shopping, I make sure to put the cold things in one section in my trunk so that I only have to get them out immediately, and the other things can sit there either until I need them, feel like it, ....!"
I wanted to add this about the COLD ITEMS...have all items that must be refrigerated/frozen put into DOUBLED PAPER BAGS about halfway up--you will want to fold the top down good!! Paper bags are excellent for insulating...your frozen things stay frozen and your other items will remain cold for a couple of hours, especially in hot weather. Tried and True method!!
__________________
Hugs...and, take care!
Ginny
The Following User Says Thank You to chiapatchie For This Useful Post: Grammie76 (07-01-2012)
Re: Less stress on your back around the house 
Re: Less stress on your back around the house 
